The Show Must Go On

Green Ambassador’s Training Program thrives despite the Corona pandemic.

The fifth year of the award-winning Green Ambassador’s Training Program was particularly challenging in terms of logistics and transportation. One of the frontrunners of HIT’s program of Social-Action elective courses jointly organized by the Dean of Students Office and the Department of Multidisciplinary Studies, the program has two main foci: Ecology, including energy efficiency, air, water and soil pollution, waste and re-cycling, renewable energy and sustainability (taught by academic supervisor Dr. Chen Freeman of the Faculty of Engineering); and Israeli Society, which provides cultural competence tools and is headed by Yifaa Banner, head of HIT’s Israeli Hope program in the Dean’s office.

The program first trains HIT students in the respective knowledge areas, and then would send these students to elementary schools to organize workshops and learning experiences. This year, the participating schools included a state religious school (Ben Atar) and Yitzhak Sade Elementary, a secular school – both in Dimona.

Dr. Chen Freeman notes: “This year, the 30 students who enrolled in the course from all of the faculties and departments across HIT participated in remote training classes on ecology, the environment and Israeli society.

In preparation, all participants met for informal conversations on "Zoom" with both pupils and principals of the schools. The sessions and meetings with the pupils were virtual, and the pupils received an experimental kit and laboratory equipment before each session in order to enable them to perform the experiments together with our students online and in real time."

Yifaa Banner added: "This year, the global Corona crisis allowed us to push the boundaries of activity. We are delighted that we succeeded in overcoming the obstacles, and in providing a quality experience for both our students and elementary school children from the academical and cultural perspective.”

The last session of the course took place as an “Academy Exposure” session in which school pupils were virtually exposed to HIT’s laboratories. The session was held in the presence of HIT leadership: Prof. Eduard Yakubov, President; Samuel Goldberg – CEO; and Dr. Yulia Einav, Dean of Students. Also present were Dimona Mayor Beni Bitton and other senior officials from the municipality.

Prof. Edward Yakubov addressed the pupils and said: "You are the ambassadors of the future, know what is important and you can lead and use the arsenal of skills you acquired in the course over the course of your lifetime. I am sure you will continue along this same path and explain to everyone how much we should all care for each other. You are all invited to visit HIT when the Corona virus passes.”

Shmuel Goldberg joined in the congratulations and noted that HIT is a green campus and that promoting the environment is a priority. Mayor Bitton called on children to continue to keep Dimona green, adding in humor “and not just at traffic lights”.

Dr. Yulia Einav spoke of the proud tradition forged five years ago in the establishment of the Green Ambassador’s Training program : “The course has trained over 1300 green ambassadors over the years and we are confident that these students will make a positive impact in the future. We are proud of the 30 students who invested above and beyond in the course, and of the more than 300 students who participated and met the challenge."

Posted: 13/01/2021